The first impressions of the Pittsburgh Steelers' opening preseason contest have been made. Of course, with most of the primary starters sitting this one out, there’s a bit of a cap on just how much Steelers fans can learn about what the team brings to the table in the regular season.
Of course, the team consists of more than Aaron Rodgers, T.J. Watt, and whichever other star you choose to group in. The role players and reserves who suited up and played Saturday night had the opportunity to showcase what they can offer the franchise this season; some delivered, others fell short.
Let’s take a look at some of the Steelers' biggest winners and worst losers following their preseason contest down in muggy Jacksonville against Travis Hunter and the Jaguars.
Pittsburgh Steelers key roster pieces step into the spotlight in preseason opener
Winner - Wide Receiver Roman Wilson
Wilson made an immediate impact for the Steelers' offense, catching an in-breaking route for a 19-yard gain on the Steelers’ first play of the game. He followed that up with another catch to bring his final statsheet to two catches on as many targets for 26 yards.
That was pretty much the night for Wilson; his night wrapped up by the end of the first quarter. Considering his positioning in the battle for the WR2 spot with Calvin Austin III, Wilson surely made some strides in pushing the incumbent while he is on the shelf with an injury.
It was really the first opportunity Steelers fans have gotten to see Wilson in action. He delivered a strong first impression that will have Steelers Nation anxious to see him get some serious targets in the regular season.
Loser - James Pierre
James Pierre got a starting nod for this game with the trio of elite star corners sitting out the preseason opener. It was not a great night for the sixth-year corner out of Florida Atlantic.
Pierre allowed six catches for 54 yards on all six targets into his coverage area, including an 11-yard touchdown in the third quarter that gave Jacksonville a short lead. He missed an early tackle that allowed Travis Etienne to pick up a first down, too.
Pierre has managed to stick around for years in Pittsburgh despite lackluster play, but with the depth in the room, performances like these could have him on the cut list at the end of the preseason. After all, Barndin Echols and Beanie Bishop both turned in solid performances themselves.
Winner - Safety Juan Thornhill
It only took one play for Steelers fans to feel much better about Juan Thornhill roaming the deep middle of the defensive backfield. Trevor Lawrence lofted a pass to Brian Thomas Jr. on a post route, and Thornhill crashed into the promising second-year receiver with a brutal, legal hit to jar the ball loose for an incompletion.
Thornhill didn’t have a great two seasons with the Cleveland Browns, but the early impression he gave signals a return to form from his early career spent with the Kansas City Chiefs. That would make fans feel much better about losing Minkah Fitzpatrick in the trade over the summer.
Now it will be on Thornhill to stack more big plays to continue that momentum. It’s easy to peg him as the weak link in a stacked defensive backfield, but that narrative can be easily snuffed out with more big plays like the one he led with Saturday night.
Winner - Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith
The first, scripted drive of the preseason always tells a bit of a story. It certainly doesn’t give too much away, and they can also be deceiving. But we’ll throw Smith a bone here and give him kudos for orchestrating a great opening drive that scratched the itch for Steelers fans.
Leading off with a play-action toss over the middle of the field gave a quick, semi-explosive play for fans to drool over. Kaleb Johnson picked up a 3rd and 4 on the ground. Darnell Washington caught a seam-route touchdown. Mason Rudolph stayed clean and completed all seven of his passes for 70 yards.
BIG man touchdown 🙌 @_Dwfootball11
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 9, 2025
📲 Stream on NFL+: https://t.co/szceXBjRdr pic.twitter.com/m5s2Yk8STI
Of course, Jacksonville’s starters weren’t out there, and neither were the most critical Steelers. But the offense looked open, even with Rudolph, and showcased some of the aspects Steelers fans want to see all season long. It’s all about first impressions in the preseason, and the OC gave a strong one Saturday night.
Loser - Reserve Offensive Linemen
The easiest addition to any preseason opener ‘Winners and Losers’ list is the reserve offensive lineman. Isaac Seumalo didn’t play, but the other four did. They began to shift out after the opening drive, and things went downhill fast for the Steelers' offense.
On the Steelers' second drive after a quick first down, Spencer Anderson gave up a sack at left guard that put the brakes on the possession. From there, the running game struggled, and the passing game couldn’t get back into rhythm until late in the second quarter.
Of course, each of the backup lineman had their ups and downs, but it was largely a lackluster performance from a group that doesn’t have much promise to begin with.
Loser - Running Back Kaleb Johnson
It’s not inherently all his fault, as described by the struggles of the offensive line he ran behind most of the night. Statistically, Johnson finished 20 yards on eight carries, a stat sheet that would leave plenty of room for concern without context.
Still, Johnson isn’t totally without fault. He did drop a pass in the flats that could have been an easy first down. He also didn’t break many tackles to create his own opportunities, despite getting close a time or two.
It’s far from time to sound the alarms for Johnson, but Steelers fans will certainly want to see more out of him in the next two preseason games.
Winner - Linebacker Cole Holcomb
Welcome back, Cole Holcomb. The seventh-year linebacker got back on the field for the first time since his devastating injury in 2023 and was flying around the field almost as if nothing ever happened.
He played the entire first half, starting the game in place of Patrick Queen, and while he was only credited with one tackle, he looked like his old self again. The stat sheet did hide a play he made to break up a pass to Tank Bigsby in the flats.
Whether against the run or the pass, Holcomb was in the final picture of several plays. Showing comfort in his lower body and playing sideline to sideline has him poised to claim a spot on the roster. If that ends up being the case, the Steelers would have a strong group of off-ball linebackers to lean on this season.